Additional Faculty Bios
Wednesday
Dwight Bain
Dwight Bain's purpose is to help you achieve maximum results in your personal and professional life. He is a Nationally Certified Counselor, Certified Life Coach and Communicator specializing in managing major change to move from stress to success. He is a life-long resident of Orlando, Florida where he lives with his life Sheila and their two children. His goal is to make a positive difference in our culture by focusing on strategic change to achieve rapid results.
Author or Co-Author of the books "Destination Success" printed in multiple languages, "Never Go Back", "Competent Counseling", "The Soul Care Bible" & "Chicken Soup for the BasketBall Lover's Soul. He has written over 100 articles for regional newspapers & trade associations; including writing special reports on "Surviving Storm Stress" & "Kids & war Anxiety" distributed over the Internet through media outlets like ABC affiliate station WFTV-TV 9, Cox radio K92FM, News Talk-WDBO/AM and websites like KSBJ.org, ZRadio.com, StormStress.com, CCCI.org and CultureShockTV.com.
Bios of Additional Editors
Beth Patch
Beth Patch is CBN.com’s Spiritual Life Devotions editor and WorldReach producer. She holds a MA in Journalism from Regent University inVirginia Beach, Virginia and a BA in Mass Communications from University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. She is an active member and officer of Toastmasters International.
In Charlottesville, Beth reported news for the local radio station, WCHV-WWWV, and for University of Virginia’s WTJU radio station. Beth’s communication skills eventually led her out of journalism and into Real Estate where she managed and sold residential and commercial property.
Some may call it a mid-life crisis, but Beth calls it a mid-life calling: 25 years after earning her BA, she felt the Holy Spirit urging her to leave real estate and earn her MA in Journalism at Regent University. She had a simple promise from God: “You will get paid for working with words.” She’s doing that now.
Bios - Other
Lawrence Clark
Lawrence J. Clark is Associate Professor at Houston Baptist University, where he teaches various English and writing courses. He has published two volumes of poetry, and short prose, and has recorded five CDs of original music. He and his wife Kristen host a website, HisWitness.org, featuring the work of artists, musicians, and writers who express their faith in Christ through the arts, and NewBeginningsMarriage.org, which offers biblically-based encouragement for couples.
Linda Gilden
Linda Gilden's ministry could be summed up in one word - encouragement. As a speaker, she speaks to women's groups, parent groups, and church groups, encouraging them to be better communicators with those around them. As a teacher (she teaches at national writers conferences in addition to the CLASS seminars each year), she encourages those in her classes to work hard to share the message God has given them. As a writer, she communicates clearly God's love to others. As an editor, she encourages others as she helps them perfect their writing and polish their manuscripts.
Linda has been publishing and speaking for over two decades and is the author of hundreds of articles and several books. Through editing and ghostwriting, she finds additional opportunities to encourage others.
She has found tremendous joy in directing the CLASS Christian Writers Conference and getting to know everyone else on this list!
Melodie Griffin
Melodie Griffin has the unique ability to use words and music to portray a powerful message of hope and encouragement to those who need it. A busy mom of three, Melodie is also a freelance writer, recording artist, popular speaker and worship leader for events across the country and has shared the stage with such speakers as Beth Moore, Liz Curtis Higgs, Stormie O'Martian and Jan Dravecky. She also does laundry in her spare time.
Melodie speaks at all kinds of Christian women's events, crisis pregnancy events, and gives motivational talks to secular organizations. Her worship music ministry has been sought after by women's conferences, retreats, church-wide events, and Christian conferences.
Doreen Hanna
Doreen is the Founder of Treasured Celebrations Ministries, a ministry called to reach women from tweens to umpteens! The purpose and goal of this ministry is to equip women who have a heart for teen girls to become mentors and to reach teenage girls, enabling them to experience the joy of Becoming a Modern Day Princess.
A women's Bible study teacher, and women's counselor for more than 20 years, Doreen is also a motivational speaker for faith-based organizations including women's events, Christian schools, youth events, and parenting conferences. Her motivational speaking opportunities also include community organizations, humanitarian foundations, local businesses and state funded agencies.
Lessie Harvey
For 29 years, Lessie Harvey has been speaking to Christian audiences. Her desire is to encourage, equip, and empower listeners to fulfill their calling. Since Christians interact with others in all aspects of life, Lessie also reaches out to those in the marketplace to present Biblical truths in everyday language. She is the author of, Becoming God's Vessel of Honor. Other publishing credits include devotional, magazine, and compilation articles. In addition to CLASS, Lessie speaks at women's groups, mother/daughter events, retreats, marketplace meetings, writer's conferences, and Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) International.
Pamela Sonnenmoser
Pamela Sonnenmoser has been speaking in churches and corporate venues since 1994. She is a Certified Personality Trainer and serves on the training faculty with CLASS. Pamela has served in women's ministries, youth ministries, and on worship teams. She is the host of Pamela's Paraphrase, a radio feature broadcast nationally on the Horizon Broadcast Network. She also hosts a healthy cooking segment on the ABC affiliate in St. Joseph, Missouri. Pamela's passion for God and people has been the driving force in her study of God's Word, giving her the ability to share His love and power with others.
Pamela speaks to women's groups, conferences, retreats, youth groups, corporate training seminars, and churches.
Craig Sundheimer
Having served in vocational church ministry for over 30 years, Craig has a particular heart for worship ministry, with a desire to help people connect with the Lord through creative worship experiences. The former Speaker Services Manager for CLASServices, he has been a member of the teaching team for the CLASSeminars for 10 years and has served as worship leader at the Glorieta Christian Writers Conference.
Craig has been a featured speaker for worship seminars and church ministry conferences, has served as worship leader and choral director for a variety of ministry events, has spoken for men's retreats and worship services, and along with his wife Cheryl has ministered at marriage/family conferences.
Gerry Wakeland
Gerry Wakeland spent 25 years in corporate and/or non-profit management, working for organizations such as Sheraton, PacTel Cellular, and the Master Chorale of Orange County. Prior to her position as Managing Director of CLASS, Gerry served as Women's Ministry Director at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of the Women's Ministry Institute, she served as a consultant establishing women's programs, leadership development, and revitalizing women's ministry organizations for numerous churches throughout the US and Canada. She is excited to take CLASSEMINARS to a higher level of excellence, through both the development of new programs as well as the refinement of current ones.